Abstract
INTRODUCTION: Patients with NAFLD have a two-fold increased risk of diabetes, and conversely, NAFLD affects up to 80% of patients with type 2 diabetes. Due to the co-occurrence of both diseases and the lack of approved pharmacotherapy for NAFLD, the anti-steatogenic potential of diabetes-related drugs is being explored. In this study, we aim to monitor liver fat noninvasively during treatment with SGLT-2 inhibitors or GLP-1 analogues in a real-world setting. METHODS: Overall, 39 patients (49% women, age 57.7 ± 10.9 years) with type 2 diabetes and hepatic steatosis (defined by controlled attenuation parameter [CAP] values ≥ 215 dB/m) were observed for 6 months and routinely monitored with respect to hepatic fat contents and liver stiffness (VCTE); body composition (BIA); and blood biochemistry, including liver function tests (LFTs), serum lipids and glucose metabolism markers. RESULTS: Median liver fat contents were significantly (P = .026) reduced by 9% in patients taking either SGLT-2 (n = 22) or GLP-1 (n = 17) for 6 months (absolute median CAP decrease: -32 dB/m [-58 to 32 dB/m]). In parallel, serum ALT and γ-GT activities decreased significantly (P = .002 and P = .049, respectively). These improvements were accompanied by significant (P < .0001) changes to body weight and BMI (-2.5 ± 3.3 kg and -0.9 ± 1.2 kg/m(2), respectively) and glucose homeostasis, with significant reductions in HbA(1c) and fasting plasma glucose (FDG) (both P < .0001). Of note, significant reductions of intrahepatic lipid contents occured in patients receiving SGLT-2 inhibitors only. CONCLUSIONS: In this real-world observational evaluation of fatty liver monitored noninvasively in patients with type 2 diabetes treated with either SGLT2 or GLP-1, improvements in measures of hepatic steatosis, glucose and weight parameters were observed after 6 months, with significant reductions of intrahepatic lipid contents seen specifically in the SGLT2 subgroup.